I am also naturally suspicious of protesters who publish their accounts of how they were treated while in custody. After all, the protest outside the convention is no longer effective, but the media blitz after the arrests still is. It's in the protesters' own interests to spin things in as negative a light as possible. That's not to say they're lying — but I am naturally suspicious.
Also, the line John is using is, IMHO, inaccurate. I didn't see any claim these were federal law–enforcement, but State of Colorado law–enforcement. I don't see that Bush had much, if anything, to do with it.
Many years ago, I had the chance to attend a protest. A local bar was accused of discriminating against certain groups and I was there to protest their actions.
There were well-organized "organizers", who seemed quite knowledgeable about protests and demonstrations; and there were protestors who seemed to be quite content to protest anything. Neither matched the demographic of the the alleged victims.
And, as I watched, I realized that these people weren't protesting any "cause". They were just protesting, and they would protest just about anything.
I couldn't see where their actions did anything other than maybe fill a weeknight with an activity.
Well, the other day I saw a story about the Denver police manhandling protesters, with comments like "Step back, bitch!" and "Go home! nobody wants you here". Hardly appropriate attitudes for law enforcement officers.
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no subject
Date: 2008-08-29 11:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-08-29 12:46 pm (UTC)I am also naturally suspicious of protesters who publish their accounts of how they were treated while in custody. After all, the protest outside the convention is no longer effective, but the media blitz after the arrests still is. It's in the protesters' own interests to spin things in as negative a light as possible. That's not to say they're lying — but I am naturally suspicious.
Also, the line John is using is, IMHO, inaccurate. I didn't see any claim these were federal law–enforcement, but State of Colorado law–enforcement. I don't see that Bush had much, if anything, to do with it.
no subject
Date: 2008-08-29 01:01 pm (UTC)There were well-organized "organizers", who seemed quite knowledgeable about protests and demonstrations; and there were protestors who seemed to be quite content to protest anything. Neither matched the demographic of the the alleged victims.
And, as I watched, I realized that these people weren't protesting any "cause". They were just protesting, and they would protest just about anything.
I couldn't see where their actions did anything other than maybe fill a weeknight with an activity.
no subject
Date: 2008-08-29 07:39 pm (UTC)video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=KfISlq1gzK8